Miss Florida

 

We congratulate former Shooting Stars Dancer Mary Katherine Fechtel, Miss Florida 2015 we are so proud of this young lady she will represent Florida and America no matter where life will take her.

A Message from Mary Katherine Fechtel, Miss Florida 2015:

This is one of those times where I look around and wonder how I got here. I’m sitting in Central Park, NYC with a cup of coffee and can hardly move from dancing the whole afternoon working on my Miss America talent with Shea Sullivan. Exactly two weeks ago today I was sitting on my hotel bed in St. Petersburg during competition week, wondering who the next Miss Florida would be. There were so many women I loved and admired who it could have been. I fully trusted that God had a plan for each of us and the state crown would simply be a part of the plan for one of us. Additionally, being behind the scenes of the Miss Florida production gave me a fresh perception of the work of the board members, volunteers, and sponsors. I could see the way they spent themselves on behalf of the organization and for the future of that one young woman who held the title of Miss Florida. Ironically after acquiring this new appreciation, the next day it became me. There was immediately overwhelming attention and I was the once receiving the immaculate care of the Miss Florida Organization. The president of the Miss America Organization, Sam Haskell, and Miss America, Kira Kazantsiv, asked for a photo with me. Since when did I deserve a photo with those two?

The transition began with a trip to Miami and in between the Miss America paperwork I’ve developed a game plan for the next few months. Most notably, I’ve decided to narrow my platform to be a more effective Miss Florida. As a local titleholder the topic of human trafficking was the obvious platform for me as I during college I was involved in and interned with a ministry for women victims of the sex industry. Although I have never personally been trafficked, I couldn’t stand to shut my eyes to the coercion once my eyes were opened and once I had seen the effects firsthand. Unfortunately, the work I was doing with various organizations was often not appropriate for a crown. Human trafficking is a sensitive and complicated injustice. There were many avenues I could turn to (sex, labor, organ, online, and child trafficking.) I found the best strategy was to speak about being safe online, as traffickers are now targeting youth who appear vulnerable on social media sites. Online safety became my torch.

I will never abandon my dedication to the anti-trafficking movement. It is a part of who I am. I know what it’s like to be inside a courtroom when a trafficking victim sees her perpetrator on the other side of the room, and I know the feeling of frustration while meeting with law enforcement and legislators who are debating tactics to combat trafficking. But to efficiently combat this crime I’ve re-labeled my platform as “A Safety Net: Protecting Our Youth from Online Predators.” This will help me enter schools without administration fearing I will frighten the children. It will allow me to have a central focus. I am thrilled to prioritize pursuing this platform and preparing for Miss America in the next two months!

Again, to the board members, Mary, local directors, volunteers, hostesses, sponsors, Ann Marie Griffin, David and Carry, Chris Martin, Liz K. Sanchez, Tiffany Johnson, Deanna Meredith, and each person involved: I don’t know how to put into words how vividly I see your work and how much I owe to you. Thank you for making this possible for me. I understand both the honor and responsibility I’ve been given and I plan to work hard to make Florida proud – both before and after Miss America